"A Pandemic of Cruelty"

"There is a pandemic in the Western world — especially, but not only, in America — that few are talking about, let alone addressing.

This pandemic doesn’t actually kill people. But it does destroy people, ruin lives, crush families and cause permanent, debilitating pain — far more than have the vast majority of cases of COVID-19.

This pandemic consists of adult children who have decided never again to speak to one or both of their parents. The vast majority of these people were never sexually or physically abused. In fact, nearly all were loved by their parents.

….

In our post-biblical age, there are no Ten Commandments. In fact, there are no commandments, period. That’s what “no shoulds” was all about — no Commandments. Instead, you do what you feel is right. If you don’t feel like talking to your mother or father, you don’t. My father, governed by the Ten Commandments and many other shoulds, called his mother every night despite the fact that he rarely felt like doing so. 

Though the Bible commands us to love our neighbor, love the stranger and love God, there is no commandment to love our parents. On the other hand, there is no commandment to honor anyone except our parents."...

Dennis Prager, A Pandemic of Cruelty 

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Psalm 18:1-3

“I love You, O Lord, my strength.”

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies."...

Psalm 55

Give ear to my prayer, O God;


And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.


Give heed to me and answer me;


I am restless in my complaint 

and am surely distracted,


Because of the voice of the enemy,


Because of the pressure of the wicked;


For they bring down trouble upon me


And in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me,


And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.


Fear and trembling come upon me,


And horror has overwhelmed me.


I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!


I would fly away and be at rest.
“

"Behold, I would wander far away,


I would lodge in the wilderness. 




“I would hasten to my place of refuge

From the stormy wind and tempest.”

Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,


For I have seen violence and strife in the city.


Day and night they go around her upon her walls,


And iniquity and mischief are in her midst.


Destruction is in her midst;


Oppression and deceit 

do not depart from her streets.

For it is not an enemy 

who reproaches me,


Then I could bear it;


Nor is it one who hates me 

who has exalted himself against me,


Then I could hide myself from him.


But it is you, a man my equal,

My companion and my familiar friend;


We who had sweet fellowship together


Walked in the house of God in the throng.


Let death come deceitfully upon them;


Let them go down alive to Sheol,


For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

As for me, I shall call upon God,


And the Lord will save me.


Evening and morning and at noon, 

I will complain and murmur,


And He will hear my voice.


He will redeem my soul in peace 

from the battle which is against me,


For they are many who strive with me.


God will hear and answer them—


Even the one who sits enthroned from of old—.


With whom there is no change,


And who do not fear God.




He has put forth his hands 

against those who were at peace with him;


He has violated his covenant.


His speech was smoother than butter,


But his heart was war;


His words were softer than oil,


Yet they were drawn swords.

Cast your burden upon the Lord 

and He will sustain you;


He will never allow 

the righteous to be shaken.




But You, O God, will bring them down 

to the pit of destruction;


Men of bloodshed and deceit 

will not live out half their days.




But I will trust in You."

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